Sign



Dec. 5, 1939'. C A HNE 2,181,938

SIGN

Filed Aug.V 23, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l C. A. FINE Dec. 5, 1939.

SIGN

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 23, 1937 C. A. FINE Dec. 5, 1939.

' SIGN Filed Aug. 23, 1957 4 .Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 5, 1939. 4 c. A. VFINE 2,181,938

` v SIGN Filed Aug. 2s, 1957 4 sheets-sheet 4 lIIIIIIHIl Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES SIGN Charles A. Fine, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Stewart- Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Virginia.

Application August 23, 1937, Serial No. 160,354

` 9 Claims.

My invention relates generally to display signs, and more particularly to an improved form of pedestal sign, parts of which may be utilized as wall signs.

`It is an object of my invention to providey an improved display sign for advertising purposes which is simple in construction, may be economically manufactured, and be readily packed in knocked-down condition.

A further object is to provide a display sign which may be set up as a pedestal sign, or parts of which may be used as wall signs of various kinds.

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of the parts of the sign assembled as a pedestal or pylon sign;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view of the sign;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the base portion of the sign, one of the sections thereof being shown partially removed to indicate the method of assembly;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an exploded View of portions of the base and the sign proper illustrating the method of assembly; i Y Fig. '7 is a perspective exploded view of the upper end portion of the pedestal;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the sign as applied to a dat wall surface;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view of the sign asshown in Fig. 8 and taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. B;

Fig. 10 is an elevation of one panel of the sign mounted upon a flat wall surface;

Fig. 1l is a transverse sectional view taken on the line H-fl! of Fig. 10. 1

Fig. l2 is a perspective View of.one of the mounting brackets used to support the panels in the manner shown in Figs. 8 and 9; and

Fig. 13 is a perspective View of one of the mounting brackets used to support a single panel in the manner shown in Figs. 10 and 1l.

In signs used for display advertising, difficulty has been experienced in the past in providing a suitable sign which could be used in various ways and in various locations. This difficulty was particularly aggravated in the manufacture of signs for display by service stations, garages and the like, wherein va sign of a single form could not be (Cl. ill-125) used under the variable conditions encountered. It was found that the pedestal type of sign adapted to rest upon the ground or floor was practical for use by service` stations, particularly when placed outdoors, but in many instances such signs could not be used in garages due to limitations of space available. On the other hand, wall signs, while usually usable in garages, could not 'effec-- tively be used by many service stations. It is a matter of considerable .expense and inconvenience for an advertiser to carry in stock several different types of signs, each adapted fordifferent use, and I have therefore overcome these difculties by providing a sign which is adapted for use in .a number of different ways. 1

The sign of my invention is particularly well adapted for use as a pedestal sign, but may easily be converted into a wall type sign. Whenused as a pedestal sign, the panelsof the sign are supported upon a base which comprises a circular band lll adapted to rest upon the ground or floor. This band is preferably made of a heavy sheet metal so as to add weight to the base,-and is sufficiently strong to prevent damage should the wheel of an automobile accidentally run over it.

The base band I4 forms a support for three similar base .plates GG, each of which has an arcuate flange I3 which is secured to the band i4 lby bolts El). Each of the base plates I6 has a pair of side walls 22, 2li. The side walls 22 have inverted channels at their upper edges which are conformed to receive flanges 28 which are formed on each of the side walls 24. The upper surfaces of the channel portions 2E and the flanges 28 have perforated lugs 30, 32 formed integrally therewith so that when the parts are assembled, the perforations in these lugs will be in alignment. Each of the base plates I6 has an upwardly eX- tending arcuate flange 34 formed at its edge be-V tween the side walls 22 and 24.k The base plates It have generally concave conical surfaces 36 of sector shape, and a pair of convex generally conical surfaces 38.

and 363, the base plates i6 are veryy rigid and strong even though made of relatively light gauge sheet metal.

The sign proper is composed of three elongated vertical panels lll which are concave in transverse cross section and have flanges 42, 44 extending longitudinally along their edges. The panels it are each provided `at their lower ends with a hole it to receive a bolt 48 which projects through a hole 5U formed in the flange 34 ofthe adjacent base plate IB. The flanges 42,

Owing to their formation with the interlocking side walls and their flanges I8v 44 also have perforations 52, 54 which lie in registry with each other and in registry ywith the holes 56 formed in the lugs 38 and 32, thereby to receive drive screws 58, which, with the bolts 48, secure the panels 4t to the base plates I6. The upper ends of the panels 4E! are held with their anges 42, 44 in interlocking engagement with a cap S2 which is secured in place by three drive screws E4 which project through registering holes 1i] formed in the depending peripheral flange 'l2 of the cap 62 as well as through holes '14, 'i6 formed adjacent the upper ends of the iianges 42, 44 of the panels. Because of the interlocking engagement of the base plates IS with one another and the secure manner in which they are assembled within the base band I4, the base forms a very stable and rigid structure. The panels 40, being of concave Shape, provided with the flanges 4Z, 44, are likewise very strong and rigid. v

In some instances Where it is not feasible to use the pedestal or pylon type of. sign shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, two panels of the sign may readily be assembled to form a Wall sign of the character shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In this figure,

the panels 4i) are secured to a pair of lil-shaped brackets 1S, one at the bottom and vone at the top of the panels, the brackets 'i8 being secured to a vertical wall Si by means of screws 80. The panels are secured to the bracket by means of bolts 82 which pass through the holes 4t and 84 respectivelyformed at the opposite ends of the panels. Bolts 84 are used to secure together adjacent flanges 42 and 44 of the panels. The parts are so proportioned that the other anges of the panel will lie in close proximity to the Wall 8l and thus present a neat and inished appearance. The'sign will be visible from Widely separated points `of View, substantially apart.

Under certain other circumstances, a single one of the panels dil may be used as a sign, as illustrated in Figs. l0 and ll. In this type of installation, a'pair of suitable brackets 85 are pro vided which are adapted to be secured to the wall 8l by screws 3B, the brackets having their ends 88 bent inwardly and provided with perforations to receive bolts Sil which project through the holes 52, 54 at the lower ends ofthe flanges 42, 44 and holes 74, l at the upper ends of these iianges.

The advertising legend will be painted, enameled, or otherwise applied to the concave surfaces of the pylons, where it will be partially protected against being chipped, nicked, scratched, and

soiled. f

The sign may be shipped knocked-down in small cartons and may be easily assembled, without requiring the use of any but ordinary tools. The supplier of the signs need keep a much smaller stock of advertising signs on hand because of the panels being common to the three types of signs. This reduction of inventory costs and the reduction in tool costs and manufacturing cos'ts due to the small number of parts necessary to assemble the three diierent types of signs effects a substantial saving in the aggregate expense of supplying a large number of signs.

Since the three types of signs have identical panels bearing the advertising legend,` the public will become familiar with the general appearance of this legend and readily identify the three types of signs as those of the same supplier.

While I have shown and described aV particular embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations may be made in the construction disclosed Without departing from the basic features of my invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise construction disclosed, but wishV to include Within the scope of my invention all such modifications and variations which will readilysuggest themselves.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. In an advertising sign, the combination oi an annular base band, a plurality of interlocking base members secured to said band, the interlocking edges of said members forming sloping buttresses, a column supportedby said base members and comprising a vplurality of vertically elongated plates equal in number to said base members and secured thereto, said plates` having overlapping ilanges at their edges, said flanges being secured to said buttress forming interlocking portions of saidv base members, and means for securing together the upper ends oi said plates,

said means comprising a cap fitting over the upper end'of vsaid column.

2. In an advertising sign, the combination of a base, and a'A vertical column secured` to said base, said column rigidly comprising three elongated plates generally concave in transverse cross-section and having interengaging anges at their vertically extending edges, meansV for securing said. plates together, and a cap member secured over the upper ends of said plates,

said cap being shaped to conform to the cross sectional outline of said column and having a peripheral flange extending downwardly overv the upper end portions of said plates.

3. An advertising sign comprising an annular banda generally conical base secured to and resting upon saidband, a vertical pylon secured toV i and aiding in holding said plates in position, said cap having a iiange extending downwardly over Y and closely embracing the upper end portions of` said strips.

5. In a sign ,of Vthe classV ing indicia, and a base for supporting said column,

said base comprising an annular band of heavyV sheet metal, Vand a plurality of base plates, said base plates being generally sector-shaped in horizcntal projection and being conformed to have the major portions of Atheir surfaces lie in the surface of `a cone, and having interengaging flanged radial edges secured together to form buttress-like'supports for said column.

6. In an advertising sign, the combination of a base ring-of relatively heavy metal, conical sector-shaped base plates detachably secured to saidbase and having interlocking flanged portions forming buttresses,a vertical column, means forr securing the lower e'nd of said column to said base plates, and a cap secured over the Stop of'said' column. .y p y 7. 'In-an advertising sign, the combination of Y f` 55 Y described, thecombination of a column adapted to carry advertis-` a relatively heavy circular band, a plurality of base plates detachably secured to said band, said base plates having interlocking flanged edges, a Vertical column detachably secured to said base plates, said column being formed of a plurality of elongated sheet metal panels having interengaging flanges along their longitudinal edges and being concave in transverse cross-section, and means for detachably securing together the upper ends of said panels.

8. An advertising sign comprising an annular base, a generally conical base secured to and resting upon said base, and a vertical pylon formed of a plurality of generally concave flanged panels, means for securing said panels to each other and to said base, and a cap member secured over the upper ends of said panels. l

9. In an advertising sign, the combination of a relatively heavy annular band, a plurality of interlocking base plates secured to said band and supported thereby, the interlocking .edges of said plates forming sloping buttresses, a column supported by said base plates and comprising a plurality of vertically elongated panels secured to said base plates, said panels having overlapping flanges at their edges, means for securing said panel llanges to said buttress forming interlocking portions of said base plates, and means for securing together the upper ends of said panels.

CHARLES A. FINE. 

